On the coupling of tensors to gauge fields: D=5, N=2 supergravity revisited

A general free differential algebra encoding the anti-Higgs mechanism among two-index antisymmetric tensors and gauge vectors is analyzed at the full group theoretical level. N=2 supergravity in five dimensions coupled to tensor, vector and hyper multiplets with all possible couplings included is reconsidered from this point of view. Within our approach, we find that some of the constraints on the couplings usually considered are too stringent and may in fact be relaxed. This generalization also affects the scalar potential.